Fidan and Rutte discuss Black Sea security and Türkiye’s NATO role amid reports of drone shootdowns and ships struck off Bulgaria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte discussed the current security situation, including in the Black Sea, during talks in Brussels on Tuesday. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said on X that they also discussed Türkiye’s contributions to NATO’s deterrence and defence. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Fidan met Rutte during his visit to Belgium.

The meeting took place amid increased drone incidents over the Black Sea. Romania reported on October 17 that it had shot down two drones that entered its airspace over the Black Sea. The post also cited previous instances in which NATO shot down four drones in Romanian airspace this year. On October 13, two ships were struck off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.

During Fidan’s visit, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said on October 13 that Türkiye has an important role in helping Europe reduce its strategic dependencies, particularly in key industrial sectors. Fidan is attending the fourth Türkiye-Belgium ministerial meeting in Brussels alongside Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci and Justice Minister Akin Gurlek.